Notes & Quotes: Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix

U.S. Army Sgt. Michael Gower is our spotlighted Veteran this weekend. Born in Kalamazoo, Mich. and now living in Middleville, Sgt. Gower was on his second deployment to Iraq in 2007 when he was severely injured by a two-ton subsurface IED (improvised explosive device) hitting his Stryker vehicle with the explosion killing three of his fellow soldiers. He suffered a skull fracture, traumatic brain injury, a broken back, plus multiple fractures to both feet and legs. He has undergone many surgeries and walks with the aid of ExoSym, a hybrid prosthetic-orthotic device that allows him to avoid amputation. We asked him a few questions...

When did you join the military?

MG: "Joined the US Army in May 2003 and went to Basic Training and Advanced Infantry Training at Fort Benning, GA. Arrived at Fort Lewis, WA September 2003. My unit: 2nd ID, 3rd SBCT, 2/3IN, Aco 1st PLT, 3rd SQD. First deployment to Iraq was October, 2003 to November, 2004. Second deployment to Iraq was in June, 2006 to August, 2007. Was supposed to be a 15-month deployment (ending that September). However, I was medivac’d out of Iraq before the end of the deployment."

How did you become injured?

MG: "On 2 August 2007, after conducting operations in and around Baghdad, we loaded into our Stryker to meet up with the rest of our group to head back to our base on the other side of Baghdad.  As we waited for the rest of our unit to meet up, we had pulled over on top of a subsurface IED (bomb buried underground) which exploded."

What were the injuries you sustained?

MG: "I had multiple fractures in both feet, shattered both heels, broke both ankles with plate and screw in left ankle, fractured tibia & fibula on left leg which was corrected by a cast, multiple fractures of tib & fib on right leg with open compartment syndrome, the tibia was realigned with halo rings and screws. Once it was realigned a rod was inserted in the tib. Right femur was fractured in half so they put a rod in it along with screws at the top of the right femur to the hip to hold it together, fractured right hip, L-1 burst so had a fusion from T-12 thru L-2, closed head fracture on the back left of skull, TBI, double vision at certain gazes from optical nerve damage from brain swelling. They wanted to do a below the knee amputation on both legs due to the extent of injuries but I've avoided that so far."  

Mike and "Hank" (far right) came to the Indy 500 last year along with fellow soldiers and Homes For Our Troops recipients SSG Adam Putt and SPC Oscar Guerra, who also suffered serious injuries in the same IED explosion.

How many surgeries did you undergo?

MG: "I don’t know how many surgeries I've had. They started them in the green zone CSH (Combat Support Hospital), then medivac'd me to the main medical center at Balad Air Base (LSA Anaconda). Was in a medically induced coma and then medivac'd to Germany.  More surgeries, then back to a medically induced coma to continue my medivac to Walter Reed Army Medical Center. More surgeries there. Then I went to Chicago Hines VA hospital, a poly trauma center close to home where I continued as an out-patient. I started my recovery and rehab and the Army assigned a person to check in with me as they started my medical evaluation board. I still continue to have surgeries and rehab from injuries."

What was the most difficult part of your journey?

MG: "I would have to say that the most difficult part of my journey was learning how to be handicapped, i.e. what changed, what I could do to compensate, going from barking orders to asking for help to do simple tasks.  Relying on my wife to do everything was hard."

Please describe the impact on your life and that of your family of getting a specially adapted home from Homes For Our Troops.

MG: "This house is amazing!!! For the first time since my injury, I feel like I am actually a part of my family’s everyday life. I can easily maneuver in my wheelchair to any area in the house.

"I don’t have to rely on others, particularly my wife, to help with most tasks around the house. I can use energy doing things I love, like coaching my son’s baseball team for the first time since he’s been playing, instead of using it just to get through the day. After a day of fishing with my boy, I can go home, take my legs off (ExoSym), and wheel around in my chair.  There will never be the words to express the gratitude I have towards those who have made this house possible. It’s been simply life changing." 

Mike's service dog Hank Williams looks at their Homes For Our Troops house during a sunset.

Do you have any advice for other Veterans who may be struggling to adapt after suffering serious injury while serving?

MG: "Don’t let the bad days win. It does get easier as you learn the new way of life. Ask for help and allow those who offer, to help - they truly want to help. Some days still are crappy don’t get me wrong, but life moves on and you need to move with it. While you're wallowing in self-pity, the world around you still keeps going, so pull up your britches and keep going."

Who are the heroes in your life?

My wife Kelli, Alvin York, Audie Murphy, Jim Abbott, John Wayne, SSG. Santos, Fernando, CSM Du, Col. Townsend, A.J. Foyt, Diane Hendricks. 

Mike with his family, wife Kelli and son Alexander and of course faithful companion and service dog "Hank Williams" Gower.

Can you tell us about your family?

MG: "I married Kelli in December, 2004 after my first deployment. Our son Alexander was born in 2010 and he just got his driver's license. He is in a special high school that focuses on aviation. We have pets including my service dog Hank Williams Gower, a German Wire-haired Pointer, Audi Murphy, a Bernedoodle, Bandit Benjamin, a Bernedoodle & Labradoodle mix, our cats are Snickers, Skittles and Ozzy, Squeaks is the Chinchilla and our geese are Penny & Pete.

What hobbies or interests do you have?

MG: "Wood working, Welding, Blacksmith, Tinkering/fixing things, Shooting, Hunting, Fishing, Camping, Hiking, Off-road/trail driving, Photography.

What are you most looking forward to seeing/doing at the race this weekend?

MG: "Watching Santino win!!!"

Mike and his family attended Aidan Schuh's race at Road America; Schuh is also spreading the message about Homes For Our Troops in the junior formula ranks.

What are the top three things on your Bucket List?

1.) Have a "Merica’stock" - like Woodstock but better. We have awesome artists, find a cornfield, and put on an amazing show and all proceeds go to HFOT. 

2.) Ride around the track in an Indy car balls to the wall.

3.) Attend an Army v Navy football game at Westpoint with my family.

SANTINO FERRUCCI enters this weekend with momentum from another strong race in the Indianapolis 500 where he re-set his own record of consecutive top-10 finishes in the 500 to eight! He started fifth and finished eighth. Ferrucci has finished in the top-10 in every Indy 500 he started. He posted his career best finish of second a year ago in the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix through a strategy call. Once again he will be celebrating his birthday at a race track when he turns 28 on May 31.

You've built a reputation for getting strong results on tough street circuits. What is it about the Detroit Grand Prix that seems to suit your driving style so well?

SF: "You know, I think having a consistent car and good team has definitely been helpful for me over the years. Always loved going to Detroit, find it a great city. My favorite track was my favorite street circuit was Belle Isle, but I do like the new Detroit circuit as well, you know. I think also coming off an Indy, we just carry a lot of momentum, and we just try to continue to ride the wave."

 After another solid month of May for AJ Foyt Racing, how much momentum does the team carry into Detroit in this stretch of the season?

SF: "Hopefully, we carry quite a bit. Obviously, it's tough on the guys, but we have a few really good races coming up that we've known to excel at. So, we just hope that we continue to do well there and we build off of the momentum we had in the midseason past years, and hopefully we can get back on the podium or in the winner's circle."

Detroit can turn chaotic quickly with strategy, cautions, and tight racing. As a veteran driver, how do you balance being aggressive while still keeping the car clean for the full race?

SF: "I don't think that's possible to keep it clean. I think that no matter what you do, you'll eventually get into someone somewhere along the line. Is it just street racing, I think the more conscious approach is just trying to survive and be aggressive, for me that seems to have worked well -- you're just trying to be proactive, you're always trying to pass the next car in front of you without taking yourself out."

What's your favorite restaurant in Detroit?

SF: "Prime and Proper. That's where I have my birthday dinner every year."

How do you feel about spending your birthday weekend at a race track?

SF: "I think I've spent almost every birthday at a racetrack, as far as I can remember, with the exception of Covid in 2020, and my 25th birthday (2023), the only two that I wasn't at a racetrack. In 2023, it happened to fall on a Wednesday, and I was in Dallas."

Ferrucci Fast Facts: Age 28 (as of May 31)...Born in Woodbury, CT...Lives in Dallas, Texas...Married Renay Moore in January, 2024...In 2026, he continued to add to his record of  consecutive top-10 finishes in the Indianapolis 500 which is now eight with his eighth place finish...In 2025, earned career best finish of 2nd at Detroit Grand Prix and followed up with 3rd place finish at Road America for fourth consecutive top-5 finish...Earned 2024 NTT P1 Award at Portland, Ore. and posted 11 Top-10 finishes (career-best) to finish 9th in the NTT INDYCAR Series driver standings, his highest ranking to date. The Foyt team finished in the top-10 in the points standings for the first time since 2002... Scored career-best finish to date with his 3rd place finish in the 2023 Indianapolis 500 to continue his string of consecutive top-10 finishes in the 500...Finished 13th in standings with fourth place finish in the 500...drove part-time in 2021-22 but maintained top-10 streak in Indy 500 with finishes of sixth (RLL Racing) and 10th (Dreyer Reinbold Racing...Competed part-time in NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2021-22...moved to NTT INDYCAR Series fulltime in 2019 finishing 13th in standings for Dale Coyne and won Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year after finishing seventh... Made his INDYCAR debut in Detroit in 2018...Competed in Formula 2000, British Formula 3, GP3 finishing third at Spa Francorchamps as a rookie, was development driver for Haas F1 team for three years (2016-2018), moved to Formula 2 in 2018...Began racing karts at age 5, moved to cars in 2013.

CAIO COLLET experienced the highs and lows of Indy in his No. 4 Combitrans Amazonia Chevrolet. His debut in the 500 showed his potential as he climbed from his starting slot of 32nd to fighting for a top-10 position with less than 10 laps to go. However, he lost control when his car became loose entering turn 2 and he hit the outside wall hard, just below A.J. Foyt's suite there. Collet walked away from the accident -- sore but optimistic about his chances in Detroit.

After leading the rookie battle for much of your first Indianapolis 500 before the late incident, what’s the biggest lesson you’re taking from that experience into Detroit?

CC: "I think the biggest lesson is how important execution is from start to finish in INDYCAR. At Indianapolis we showed we had the speed and the potential to fight with strong guys all race long, but at this level every detail matters until the final lap. Even with the tough ending, there were a lot of positives to take away — the experience, the confidence, and knowing that we can compete up front. Now the focus is on carrying that momentum into Detroit and putting together a complete weekend." 

Detroit is such a demanding street circuit — how difficult will it be to switch from the high speeds of Indy to the bumpy and twisty streets of Detroit?

CC: "It’s definitely a big transition. Indy is all about precision at very high speed and keeping momentum, while Detroit is much more aggressive with braking zones, bumps, traction, and managing risk in close quarters. Street circuits don’t forgive mistakes, so adapting quickly is really important. Physically and mentally it’s a completely different challenge, but that’s something I enjoy. The goal is to build confidence session by session and maximize every lap."

You’ve now experienced the intensity and spotlight of the Indy 500 as an INDYCAR rookie. Do you feel like that month at Indianapolis changes the way you approach the rest of your first season?

CC: "For sure. The month of May teaches you a lot in a short amount of time — not only on track, but also how to manage the pressure, the schedule, and the attention that comes with the Indy 500. Going through that experience gives me more confidence moving forward because I feel more comfortable with the environment and with the team. At the same time, it motivates me even more because it showed how competitive this series is and how much small details can make a difference."

Caio Collet Facts: Age 24...Born in Sao Paulo, Brazil...Lives in Indianapolis, Indiana...In 2024-2025, he competed in the INDY NXT by Firestone Series, winning a total of four races, four poles and scored 15 podiums, ranked second in 2025 and 3rd in 2024 final standings...From 2021 to 2023, he competed in FIA Formula 3, won a total of three races, one pole and scored nine podiums with best rank of 8th in 2022...In 2019-20, he competed in Formula Renault Eurocup where he won five races (2020), three poles, 12 podiums to rank 2nd in standings ...Competed in French Formula 4 in 2018 and won the title along with seven races, three poles and posting 13 podiums... Began racing go-karts at age 7 and won multiple titles before moving to Europe...His father was a rally driver and Caio became interested in motorsports at age 4...Enjoys cycling, running, music from the 2000s and spending times with family and friends. 

ALESSANDRO DE TULLIO heads to Detroit looking to rebound from a challenging Indianapolis Grand Prix doubleheader as he also prepares for his first start on the downtown street circuit. Continuing his push toward championship contention, de Tullio is eager to convert his strong qualifying pace into race-winning results aboard the No. 14 AJ Foyt Racing entry in this weekend’s INDY NXT by Firestone event. He had a chance to meet A.J. Foyt over the race weekend.

How do you manage risk and reward on a street circuit like Detroit?

ADT: "It’s important to manage the risk on a tight street track like Detroit. Of course, in Qualy you want to be pushing the limits to qualify up front and then manage as much as possible in the race."

This will be your first time driving the streets of Detroit, how have you prepared? And what are you looking forward to about the track?

ADT: "I’m excited to drive at Detroit. I’ve done some work on the sim to learn the track and have an idea of what to expect."

How do you think this track compares to other street circuits you’ve driven?

ADT: "It’s definitely much tighter than tracks like Arlington or St Petersburg. I think it feels more like Toronto in some sections."

NICHOLAS MONTEIRO is set to tackle the streets of Detroit for the first time this weekend in the No. 4 AJ Foyt Racing entry. Following extensive preparation in the simulator, in the gym, and alongside his engineer reviewing data, Monteiro arrives focused and confident as he looks to deliver his strongest INDY NXT by Firestone result to date.

How do you manage risk and reward on a street circuit like Detroit?

NM: "On a street circuit like Detroit, it’s all about finding the right balance between being aggressive and staying disciplined. The walls are very close, so you need to commit and be confident, but at the same time you can’t overstep because small mistakes can have big consequences. I think the key is building up rhythm throughout the sessions, understanding where you can really attack, and making sure you maximize every lap without taking unnecessary risks."

This will be your first time driving the streets of Detroit, how have you prepared? And what are you looking forward to about the track?

NM: "I’ve been preparing mainly through simulator work, watching a lot of onboard videos, and studying data to understand the flow of the circuit and where the main challenges are. Street tracks are always unique because the grip evolves so much throughout the weekend, so I’ve been focusing on learning the references and getting comfortable with the layout before we arrive. I’m really looking forward to the atmosphere and the challenge of such a technical street course. Detroit looks like a track that rewards commitment and precision, which is something I enjoy."

How do you think this track compares to other street circuits you’ve driven?

NM: "From what I’ve seen so far, Detroit seems very demanding compared to other street circuits because it’s narrow, bumpy, and has a lot of low-speed technical sections. It looks like a place where confidence builds lap by lap, and where staying clean and consistent is extremely important. Every street circuit has its own character, but Detroit seems to combine physical driving with very little margin for error, which should make it an exciting challenge."

The Chevrolet Grand Pris will be broadcast on FOX on Sunday starting at 12:30 pm ET and the INDY NXT race can be viewed earlier that day starting at 10:30 am ET pn FS1.